


"That's the easy part" - supercorp + winn

by luversd



Series: Fictober 2020 [18]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Thieves, First Meetings, Friendship, Interviews, L-Corp (Supergirl TV 2015), Supportive Lena Luthor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-23
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:33:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27155965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luversd/pseuds/luversd
Summary: Kara Danvers and Winn Schott steal tech from big tech companies to sell them to the ones who need them the most. One day they decide to rob L-Corp but when the CEO catches them in the act, their infallible plan falls apart.
Relationships: Kara Danvers & Winn Schott Jr., Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor
Series: Fictober 2020 [18]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1949590
Comments: 36
Kudos: 141





	1. Part One

**Author's Note:**

> Would you want to read a part 2 where Lena interviews Kara? Kara's backstory will be explained, I wanted to write it now but it got kind of long and I got kind of sleepy. Let me know in the comments!  
> Update 3/3  
> All mistakes are mine. Enjoy!
> 
> Edit: thanks for all the love on this story!!! A lot of you wanted to read more of this AU and I'm definitely interested in exploring the different dynamics in this story so it sounds like we're on the same page. I'm still figuring out how the story will evolve and I'd like to finish the Fictober first, so bear with me. I really appreciate your comments and kudos, and if you have thoughts, ideas or suggestions, feel free to let me know in the comments!

Darkness engulfed National City as the moon and the stars took over the sky. Streetlights illuminated the pavement and mercifully led two young thieves to their destination. Armed with image inducers and their wits, Kara Danvers and Winn Schott silently made their way to the tall building with the giant L on the side.

'You're sure this will work?' Kara asked nervously. 'The Luthors are notoriously known to be geniuses and tech moguls.'

'Have a little faith in me, Kara,' her partner in crime replied playfully as he worked on the building's security system. 'Besides it's too late to back out now.'

'Unless you underestimated them and you can't get us inside,' the blonde pointed out.

Winn glanced up at her and huffed before twisting one of his tools. 'Voilà. Getting in, that's the easy part,' he assured.

Kara raised an eyebrow. 'What's the hard part?'

The tech expert didn't offer a response until they had managed to sneak into the laboratory/storage unit containing the prototypes of weapons and other equipments the company was working on. 'Choosing which ones to take and which ones to leave behind,' he finally answered with a smirk.

'Holy crap,' the blonde uttered with awe. She took a random device lying on the table and twisted it in her hands, carefully studying the technology behind it before redepositing it on the furniture again. She was about to move on to the next equipment when Winn called her name.

'What is this?' He wondered as he pulled back a sheet from a large machine.

Kara's blue eyes sparkled with excitement as she approached her friend. 'Is that a portal that allows immediate transportation between any two points in the world?''

'It is,' a voice replied. 'Or it would be if I get it to work. It's called a transmatter portal.'

The two friends whipped around at the intrusion. Winn glanced at the blonde with panicked confusion. 'I thought you had superhearing, Z?' In the presence of others, they had agreed to use codenames to ensure their anonymity. Z stood for Zor-El and J for the slightly less cool Junior in Winn's name.

'I was distracted,' Kara retorted defensively.

'How did you find us here? I disabled the security system,' Winn questioned suspiciously.

'Oh, I know,' the CEO replied. 'I was watching from the monitors in my office. It was almost insulting how fast you got in. I designed the system myself since the ones on the market are hardly secure.'

'Amen to that,' the tech expert said, momentarily forgetting the compromising situation they were in.

'So, you're the infamous tech thieves that have been tormenting National City's tech companies?' The Luthor mused.

'The Terrible Twos,' Winn supplied, earning a raised eyebrow from the businesswoman.

'You do know that's what they call the phase where children throw temper tantrums and show defiant behaviour, right?' The CEO pointed out.

'Yes, obviously. Don't listen to him, we're just two tech nerds admiring your work,' Kara assured, silently hoping friendliness would get them a free pass out of jail tonight. 'And you are...'

'Lena Luthor, CEO of the company you're currently stealing from,' the raven haired woman introduced herself.

The blonde offered a sheepish smile. 'Are you going to call the police?'

'Not unless you're planning on stealing something, although I must advise you not to do so,' Lena told them.

Winn snorted. 'It would be weird if you encouraged us to take some of this stuff.'

The Luthor narrowed her eyes at him and the man quickly turned serious. 'While I would find it unfortunate to lose any of the projects we've been working on, I'm saying this because all of the gadgets you found here are prototypes at most. They're not ready for public use and they could potentially be fatal if handled incorrectly. Although your actions are morally questionable, I don't believe you have cruel intentions and since I'm here anyway, I might as well warn you about the danger this technology poses should it land in the wrong hands.'

'That's very considerate of you,' Kara noted. The Luthor seemed to be a good judge of character; although their method left room for improvement, their cause was noble, and hurting people was the last thing they wanted to do. Some would argue that stealing from the rich in order to protect the unfortunate was technically hurting the rich, but when it came down to selfish billionaires versus helpless aliens, well, Kara knew whose side she was on.

'You believe her?' Winn asked incredulously.

'I relocated my company from Metropolis a few weeks ago,' Lena reminded. 'I've been too busy with the paperwork and the move to really pour my energy into the research.'

Kara gave her friend a pointed look as if there was no reason to doubt the CEO's word. 'Maybe she's bluffing, but what if she's telling the truth? We can't risk their lives, J, those people are counting on us to keep them safe, and if these devices aren't ready, then we would be doing the exact opposite. Besides we broke into her building and she's not calling the police, this is hardly the time to argue with her.'

Lena decided she liked this Z person, whoever they may be underneath the facade. While the man's skills were impressive, he was clearly unaware of the gravity of the situation they were currently in. One phone call to the police would land the both of them in prison for a long time. 'I showed you my hand, now show me your face.'

'This is my face,' the thief tried.

The CEO raised an eyebrow. 'Do you really expect me to believe you're parading around with your real faces as you break into companies and steal several millions dollars' worth of tech?'

Kara nodded. 'You make a valid point.'

'Z, don't do it.' Winn warned.

His friend gave him a pointed look. 'She's got the upper hand here,' she said before shrugging. 'And I trust her.'

The tech expert looked perplexed. ' _You trust her?_ You barely know her! She knows nothing about us right now, even if she changes her mind and decides to call the cops on us, they wouldn't know what they're looking for.'

Lena was growing impatient. She had shown the pair hospitality when she was least expected to and while she understood the man's wariness, she was merely trying to make a human connection tonight. 'I'm doing you a courtesy by not calling the police and all I ask of you is to take off your fucking masks so I can see your faces when I offer you a job at my company.'

Silence followed her outburst and it lasted so long that the CEO briefly wondered if she had offended someone by using the f-word.

A click resonated across the room and Kara's real features were revealed. 'You want to offer us a job?'

Lena nodded and gestured towards Winn. 'Your computational skills are beyond anything I've ever seen, you would undoubtedly be a great asset to our security and research team.' She turned her attention to the blonde and carried on, 'and you knew what this portal was without even reading our project notes. You seem to have some knowledge about alien tech, and considering the fact that your friend mentioned you have superhearing, I'm guessing it's because you are an alien yourself. Whatever cause you're fighting for with these weapons, I'm offering you an opportunity to do it from the inside. My knowledge about aliens and alien technology is limited, so I'm willing to learn from the both of you. Ultimately it's up to me what happens with these devices and where they will be distributed but I could use your guidance on the do's and don't's and how to keep the vulnerable group of people and aliens safe.'

Winn spoke up. 'What's the catch?'

The Luthor pursed her lips. 'I would hardly call it a catch, but taking the job would require you to give up your ... nocturnal activities. I'll give you two days to think about it. You're welcome to swing by my office for an interview whenever you feel like it during the next 48 hours.'

Winn finally disabled his image inducer. 'This isn't a prank?'

'I'm dead serious,' Lena assured certainly.

The man took a step forward and held his hand out. 'Winn Schott, pleasure to meet you. I'm a huge fan of your family's work.'

The CEO shook his hand and smirked. 'I'm not sure that's a good thing,' she said, her mind drifting to her criminal sibling and parent. 'But it's nice to meet you too.'

'Thanks for the offer, I'll definitely consider it,' Winn promised before walking to the side.

Kara slowly approached the Luthor with a shy smile on her lips. 'Kara Danvers.' The pair shook hands and while Winn's handshake had been firm and professional, Kara's was warm and familiar. 'Your deductions were spot on. I'm from Krypton,' she explained.

'Krypton,' Lena echoed pensively before she arched an eyebrow. 'Like Superman?'

'Like Superman,' the Kryptonian confirmed.

'Do you have the same powers as him?' The Luthor wondered curiously.

'I suppose I do, I've never really tested them or used them so I can't say for sure,' Kara answered honestly.

Lena tilted her head. 'Why haven't you?'

Kara smiled softly. 'That's a story for tomorrow.'

'Tomorrow?'

'The interview?'

The CEO looked pleasantly surprised. 'You're coming? You can take some time to think about it, you know.'

'I'd be a fool not to at least give it a shot,' Kara replied.

'I'll let the receptionist know to expect you - the both of you - that way if your friend wants to stop by, he won't be hauled away by my security men,' Lena said with a chuckle.

'Thank you. I guess I'll see you tomorrow,' the blonde spoke awkwardly.

The Luthor nodded. 'It was nice meeting you, Miss Danvers.'

'Likewise, Miss Luthor.' Kara gave her a small wave before turning on her heels and joining her friend.

Lena stared at the retreating figures, a part of her wondering if it had all been a dream when the blonde turned around again.

'Thanks for not calling the police,' Kara mentioned with a grateful smile.

Lena raised an eyebrow. 'Don't make me regret it.'


	2. Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The interview and the genesis of Supergirl.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick(ish) update + more supercorp centric.  
> Hope you enjoy it!

Kara Danvers didn't know what she was doing. Well, if someone asked her what her plans were that day, she would reply: going to a job interview at L-Corp that she probably didn't deserve. Now, here she was, sitting outside of the CEO's office, waiting for the woman to return from her board meeting, her hands clammy and her leg bouncing nervously. While the scientific development on Earth would be considered primitive compared to Krypton's, Kara hadn't studied the science processes that governed this planet. She wasn't sure her skillset would match what the Luthor was looking for, and that added to the fact that she hadn't done a job interview in years meant her adrenaline levels were off the charts. She took a deep breath and tried to calm her nerves. The worst thing that could happen was that she would somehow disappoint the Luthor, not get the job and return to her daytime job of waitering at Noonan's. She would have to consider an alternative for her nighttime job now that their identities were known. Too busy drowning in her thoughts, Kara missed the approaching sound of high heels and only looked up when the pair of feet entered her visual field.

'Miss Danvers?' Lena's voice was tinged with surprise, as though she hadn't expected the blonde to actually show up.

Kara quickly scrambled to her feet. 'Miss Luthor, hi.'

'Jess, we are not to be interrupted unless there's an emergency,' the CEO requested to which her assistant nodded obediently.

'Yes, Miss Luthor.'

'Thank you, Jess.' Lena opened the door to her office and held it open for her guest. 'Please come in.'

'Thank you,' Kara said. She entered the room and was greeted by minimalist decor and lots of sunlight. Her Kryptonian DNA rejoiced at the abundance of solar energy and though she could feel her powers thrumming in her body, she had no use for them.

Lena closed the door behind her and walked to her desk. She gestured towards one of the chairs before she settled into her own. 'Have a seat.'

The blonde sat down almost obediently and waited for the CEO to take the lead in their conversation. The Luthor shuffled some papers around, pulled one out and read, 'Kara Danvers.' She looked up at the woman with a raised eyebrow and carried on when she received a small nod. 'I did some research on you, Miss Danvers, on your professional career up to now to be more precise. Is it correct that you studied journalism at National City University?'

'Yes, that's right,' Kara confirmed.

'Yet you ended up working as a waitress at a local restaurant. Why's that?'

The blonde pursed her lips. They were diving right into the hard stuff, but if she wanted to get the job, she knew she had to be honest. 'I had a bad experience while I was working on a story for a local newspaper. It put me off reporting.'

Lena studied the woman carefully. 'You don't miss it?'

'I do,' Kara admitted. It had been on her mind for a while now, and she had looked for job openings at media companies before memories of that night had resurfaced and forced her to close her laptop. 'I miss the thrill of chasing down a story until it led you to the truth, whatever that may be, and I miss writing in general.'

'Then why don't you go back into journalism?' The CEO questioned, sounding slightly confused.

'I'm not sure I'm ready yet.'

'When did that incident take place?' She wondered curiously.

Kara bit her lip before answering, 'three years ago.' That sounded like a long time to most people but to her, it felt like yesterday and she could feel the betrayal and the heartbreak all over again as if no time had passed.

'What happened, if you don't mind me asking?'

The blonde let out a shaky breath. 'Why don't I start from the beginning?' She suggested and the Luthor offered an encouraging nod. 'My parents passed away when I was 13,' she started before remembering that the raven haired woman already knew about her identity and planet of origin. 'Krypton, my planet, was dying, so my parents sent me away to Earth in a pod to take care of my then baby cousin. My pod got knocked off course and by the time I arrived on Earth, Kal-El had already grown up and become Superman. The Danverses took me in and raised me like I was one of their own. They taught me how to fit in and control my powers to make sure I didn't get caught. Alex, my older adoptive sister, used to hate me but eventually we managed to get along and she became my best friend. We had this unbreakable sibling bond and we had each other's backs no matter what. She used to tell me she was an FBI agent and I believed her. One day, I was working on a story about the discrimination of aliens that didn't look like humans and who couldn't easily fit in like I could, and I came across this network of aliens who were homeless but still, the nicest beings I had ever met. A lot of them wanted to help me and do an interview so long as their identity and their precise location remained a secret. I agreed of course, because I didn't want any harm to come to these people. I was so... excited and overwhelmed by their genuineness and hospitality, that I told my sister about them.' Kara pushed her glasses up nervously as the memory slowly materialised in front of her eyes. 'Next thing I knew, she tracked my phone and followed me to the spot with a small army of men. I tried to stop them, to stop her, but they were firing round after round and these people weren't armed. Many of them managed to escape but a few didn't. Some were taken in custody but released shortly after, and two died. It turned out that my sister wasn't working for the FBI, but for another governmental organisation that tracked down aliens.'

'The DEO?' Lena supplied questioningly. She had heard stories about a clandestine anti-alien strike team but she hadn't been sure of its existence until now.

Kara looked surprised. 'You know them?'

'I've heard of them.'

'Yeah, well. They're not nice people. They believe all aliens are bad, especially if they don't look human,' she spoke bitterly. 'I just-, those innocent people were targeted and killed because of me. If I hadn't stuck my nose in their business, they would still be alive and safe. After that, every time I tried to write an article, I would be filled with guilt and betrayal, I couldn't do it anymore so I just quit and pursued a different career path.'

'I'm sorry to hear about your planet and your sister. It must've been hard losing your whole world, essentially losing it twice,' Lena remarked sympathetically. 'Thank you for telling me.'

'Thank you for listening,' Kara replied genuinely. She thought reliving the memory would have been painful; on the contrary it had been a cathartic experience.

'Listen, Kara-, Miss Danvers,' Lena quickly corrected.

The blonde smiled. 'Call me Kara.'

'Well, if I'm calling you Kara...'

'Lena it is.'

The Luthor gave her a warm smile. She knew they were moving out of the employer-employee zone into something more - if they even had been in that zone - and it scared her as much as it excited her. 'As I was saying, based on what you've told me, I can assure you that what transpired that night was not your fault. I read your piece, it was powerful and beautifully written. I'm a strong believer in the philosophy behind 'live and let live', but even I had my doubts about some of these more covert species. The only information I had of them came from stereotypes and prejudices spread in our community and your article has helped me realise how wrong and hurtful these stereotypes were. To my previous point, you were doing your job as a reporter, and a damn good one at that, and your sister took advantage of that. You can't blame yourself for her decisions.'

'That's-, thank you. I really appreciate that, Lena,' Kara told her because she did, and while forming sentences was supposedly her specialty, she was at a loss for words when it came to the Luthor.

'Is that why you don't use your powers?' The CEO deduced.

Kara nodded. 'Knowing she hates aliens won't be enough to prepare myself from the possibility that she might hate me as well. Our relationship is already strained as it is.'

'Do you really think she'll hate you?' At this point, Lena's questions were coming from a place of genuine concern and interest rather than out of necessity to check the blonde's suitability for the job but Kara didn't seem to mind.

Kara took a deep breath and thought about it. 'I'm not sure. We used to sneak out at night when we were teens and I would fly us around for a bit, and she used to love it. I think my parents drilled it into us to keep my identity under wraps for my protection for so long that Alex's anger at me using my powers would stem from a place of love and worry.'

'It sounds to me like your relationship with your sister has a solid foundation,' Lena pointed out gently. 'It might not be too late for you to reconcile with each other if that's what you want.' She could tell how much Kara missed her sibling by the way she talked about her, and if Lena's fucked up relationship with her family had taught her anything, it was that no matter how many times the other person had let you down, family was family and she would keep looking for ways to mend their relationship, if that was even possible after everything they had gone through.

'I know,' the blonde agreed. 'But I can't have her hate aliens, and make an exception for me because I'm her sister. Those people are just like me, they made me feel like I belong. I can't turn my back on them just to get my sister's approval.'

The Luthor was suddenly glad she hadn't called the police last night. Before her sat a woman with the purest heart and the noblest intentions, and no clue how to translate those admirable qualities into action. 'Is that why you steal those weapons?'

Once more, Kara nodded and gave her a small smile. 'Gotta make it a fair fight, am I right?'

Lena returned the smile. While she wasn't a big fan of fighting fire with fire, especially when it came to violence, she could see the blonde's good intentions behind the act. 'Listen, Kara. I know I told you I had a job for you at L-Corp...'

Kara's heart dropped at her words. She had thought the interview was going well.

'And in some way, I guess I do, but I'm not sure you'll be happy here. You're more than welcome, and I would like to hire you as an external consultant, but I have another idea that you might enjoy more as well,' the CEO explained. 'My friend, Cat Grant, she's the founder and CEO of CatCo Worldwide Media. If you're interested, I could ask her to consider you as a candidate for a junior journalism position.'

Kara stared at her with awe, wondering if the Luthor's generosity ever came to an end. 'I'd be honoured. Thank you, Lena. This is so much more than I could've dreamed of.'

'No problem, Cat owed me a favour anyway, and I'll arrange the interview, but whether she hires you or not is still up to you.'

'Of course.' She nodded understandingly. Sensing that the other woman had something to say, she patiently waited for her to speak up.

Lena cleared her throat and looked nervously at the blonde. 'This is obviously none of my business, so if I'm stepping out of line here, feel free to let me know, but would you ever consider becoming a superhero like your cousin?'

Kara stayed silent. Out of all the things she had expected Lena to say, this was definitely not on the list. 'I mean I could, I guess? I just always thought that one Super was enough, and if revealing my identity to the world jeopardises my relationship with my family, I'm not sure it's worth it.'

'The world could use a female superhero,' the CEO assured certainly. 'I know I could,' she added with a grin. 'It's not only about your powers, Kara, it's about your belief in the good in this world, your ability to see people for who they really are, and your openness to life. Those are values that this city needs more of and you could be a beacon of hope. This could be an opportunity to show your sister that aliens _are_ good and to help her unlearn the fear she has been conditioned to feel when she was faced with the unknown. This is merely a suggestion, Kara. I know there's a lot hanging in the balance, but know this: should you decide to go down this road, I can assure you that you have Cat's and my full support. Cat will make sure your superhero alter ego will get the most honest and positive press there is - she's been going on and on about how National City needs it's own Superman - and I will design your suit and whatever accessories you need. You don't have to do this, but if you do, you're not alone.'

Kara was overwhelmed by the support pouring out of the Luthor. She had never experienced such a positive reaction to her alien identity and the world suddenly became a touch more colourful. 'Thank you, Lena. That means more than you could ever know. I'll think about it.'

Lena smiled warmly. 'Great. I'll get in touch with Cat and have her contact you. There's no need to rush, so here's my personal number,' she said as she wrote down the phone number. 'Let me know if you want to take the consulting job or the superheroing job,' she finished with a wink.

The blonde pocketed the piece of paper and stood up at the same time Lena did. She shook the other woman's hand and said, 'thank you for everything, Lena. This is by far the best job interview I've ever been to.'

Lena chuckled at the unexpected compliment. 'It was really nice to get to know you, Kara. I hope this isn't the last time we talk.'

Kara beamed. 'I hope not either.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!  
> Was it what you expected? Was it... not? Let me know in the comments!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!  
> (Metaphorical) penny for your thoughts? Let me know if you liked it/want a second part in the kudos/comments!


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